Valencia Carroll is a passionate and dedicated teaching artist who believes deeply in the transformative power of art. With a diverse background in fine arts and art therapy, Valencia integrates her love for creativity with her commitment to teaching, inspiring and empowering students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds through art.

Early in her art career, Valencia earned a Master’s degree in Art Therapy from The George Washington University in Washington, DC. She then went on to hone her craft as a classically trained oil painter during four years of intensive study at the renowned Aristides Atelier at the Gage Academy of Art in Seattle, WA. There, she refined her skills in drawing and painting, further laying the foundation for her multifaceted approach to teaching.

Valencia is committed to continuous growth and development as an educator. She actively seeks out opportunities to enhance her teaching skills, including training in programs such as the Teaching Artist Training (TAT) Lab based in Seattle and participating in professional development workshops. Through these experiences, she deepens her understanding of effective teaching, ensuring that she remains at the forefront of art education. Throughout her career, Valencia has worked with diverse communities in both formal and informal educational settings. Whether leading workshops in schools, community centers, and public libraries or teaching art classes at museums and cultural institutions, she has left an indelible mark on countless students with her engaging and inclusive teaching style.

Valencia's teaching philosophy is centered around creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment where students feel empowered to explore their creativity, take risks, and express themselves authentically. She believes in nurturing each student's individual strengths and interests while providing a solid foundation of technical skills and artistic principles.

In addition to her role as a teaching artist, Valencia is an accomplished visual artist with a portfolio that primarily focuses on her passion for oil painting where she experiments with lighting, color harmony and composition in her figurative, landscape and still-life works. Her dedication to her own artistic practice informs and enriches her teaching, allowing her to guide students through the creative process with empathy and expertise.

Whether facilitating meaningful discussions about art and society or sharing her own artistic journey, Valencia is dedicated to making a positive impact through art education. She firmly believes that art has the power to inspire, connect, and transform lives, and she is grateful for the opportunity to share that power with others.